“COWARDS IN KHAKI”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 August 1941, Page 3

“COWARDS IN KHAKI”

STORMY INTERLUDES

AT TRANSPORT BOARD MEETING.

STATEMENTS WITHDRAWN.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 25

Insisting that a statement, “There are cowards in khaki,” used by Mr R. Armstrong during discussion, should be withdrawn, the Mayor of Auckland, Mr J. A. C. Allum, told the chairman of the Transport Board, Mr Sayegh, today that he would leave the meeting if Mr Armstrong refused to do so.

Mr Armstrong had moved that the special maximum cash fare of twopence to members of the forces be discontinued and that it be replaced by an arrangement making it apply to ranks below and including sergeant in the army or the equivalent in other services, that it should apply only to men an<J women on draft for overseas or engaged on active service on national defence, and that passes be issued by defence headquarters. He said 'that staff officers who would probably never leave New Zealand were riding round in the trams on military business. Class distinction could be avoided by uniform allowances.

“Nobody should get more out of this war than anyone else. There arc more cowards to be found in khaki than are prepared to stand up before appeal boards,” said Mr Armstrong. Mr Allum: That is an insult to our sons. I demand that those words be withdrawn. If that is not done I shall leave the meeting. Mr Armstrong: I withdraw them. In subsequent passages the word “insult” was used by Mr Armstrong. “I resent that and demand an unqualified withdrawal,” said Mr Allum. “I withdraw the words. They have been given a wrong interpretation," said Mr Armstrong. After further stormy interludes involving other board members, the motion was lost by three votes to seven.